Welfare: families are increasingly left to cope on their own – 56% have cut back on or stopped working to care for parents and children

For 77% of Italians, the main entity currently providing practical care for children and dependent family members is the family itself. Only then are the private sector, the state and public services cited. The research therefore paints a picture of a welfare system that remains heavily reliant on families. Data on carers also confirms this reality. In 70% of cases, care is shared with other family members, whilst just 7% receive support from public home care services. The contribution of voluntary work and the third sector appears even more marginal. The study also highlights how care is provided predominantly through local networks: in 73% of cases, the person being cared for by members of the sandwich generation lives within a 30-minute distance.

The research also strongly highlights the financial cost of care, which is often overlooked but is becoming an increasingly significant part of household budgets. Among those belonging to the Sandwich Generation, 74% incur expenses for childcare services for children outside school hours. These include babysitters, after-school clubs, summer camps, afternoon activities and other essential services needed to maintain a balance between work and family responsibilities. For almost half of the ‘sandwich generation’ (46%), these expenses are ongoing and regular throughout the year, a sign of how care is becoming a stable and structural component of the cost of living. The Sandwich Generation also incurs costs that are on average higher than the national average, as they are forced to manage different care needs simultaneously: on the one hand, their children; on the other, elderly parents or frail relatives. The study highlights how the cost of care is no longer a one-off expense, but represents a permanent item in the family budget, with direct effects on disposable income, the ability to save and quality of life.

The research also highlights a strong awareness of the issue of irregular employment in domestic work. 89% of Italians believe that irregular employment in the sector is a widespread and structural phenomenon. The main cause identified is not cultural but economic: 60% cite the excessive cost of a formal contract as the main obstacle to formalisation. At the same time, however, there is also a growing focus on quality and professionalism: almost two in three Italians (62%) say they are willing to pay more for qualified and certified workers. The research therefore shows a country that is increasingly aware of the importance of regular and professional domestic work, but is still held back by the financial burden of recruitment costs. It is not, therefore, the value of domestic work that is in question, but its economic sustainability.